14-10-2011 GM on -- The 4 levels of cultivation

蓮生活佛 開示/【修行的四個層次】
The 4 levels of cultivation

以前有人到這裡來，看我們每天同修修一壇法，他離開以後講：你們每天這樣子修一壇法，就能成佛嗎？意思是說：每天拜佛、拜菩薩、拜金剛神，在那邊比手劃腳一番，能夠成佛嗎？其實，這一句話問得很好，我們也可以這樣回答：不一定成佛。
Someone asked me after watching us cultivate a session: You all cultivate one session daily can attain Buddhahood? He meant to say: Everyday praying to Buddha, Boddhisattva, Dharma Protectors, making hand signs, can attain Buddhahood? Actually this is a good question, let’s answer this way: Not sure can attain Buddhahood.

每天四點到五點之間來這裡同修，你這樣子作，就是作個二十年、五十年你也不一定成佛，為什麼呢？同樣在念佛，但是，一個往生，一個沒有辦法往生，為什麼呢？同在這裡修行，有的人可以即身成佛，有的成不了佛甚至還要落到地獄，什麼原因？修同樣的法，為什麼有的可以即身成佛，有的還是凡夫？這要看你自己本身是用什麼來修，你用外相來修（剛才我們同修作的，大家看得到的統統都是外相），就是說：你口唸『嗡。阿彌爹哇。些』，手也結彌陀手印，也觀想阿彌陀佛，你作的方法、程序是對的，不過你是用外相在修，你沒有用你的內心在修。你假如每天就這樣唸唸經，打坐也不用心，你這樣繼續作下去二十年、五十年，在修法中你坐在那邊不動，想的比較少一點，你可能得到一點福報，或身體健康一點是有可能，其它你什麼都得不到。

You come cultivating daily from 4-5pm, for  20 years or 50 years, there is no sure bet you can attain Buddhahood, Why? Doing the same chanting of Buddha, one can go to Pureland but the other can’t, why? Cultivating similarly here, some can transform into Buddha, some can’t and some even drop to Hell, what’s the reason? Cultivating same practice, why some can transform into Buddha and some still lay person? This depend on what you employ to cultivate, if you use External Form to cultivate (just now what we did in group cultivation, what you all can see is External Form). That is to say when you chant [Om Ah Mi Teh Wa Se], form Amitabha Buddha’s hand mudra and also visualize Amitabha Buddha, your method and sequence is correct, but you are employing External Form, you did not use “Inner heart” to cultivate. If you chant chant sutra sitting here daily, don’t concentrate to meditate, you can continue to do so for the next 20 or 50 years, sitting unmoving during cultivation, have less thoughts, you might get some auspicious merits, or a bit more healthy, other than these you won’t get anything else.

【修法有四個層次】：The 4 levels of cultivation :

第一個，【外相】。外面的，大家看得到的都一樣，師尊會的，你也會，表演的統統都一樣，這是外相。
First – [ External Form]. External, everyone can see is the same, GM knows, you also know, so perform the same, this is External Form.


第二個，【內修】。用意念方面在修，已經用了心叫內修。內修就是一些觀想的細節，觀想的口訣秘密都在裡面。
Second – [Internal Cultivation]. Employing Thought  Power to cultivate, which is already consider as Internal Cultivation. It is visualizing details, visualization secret messages all included.


第三個，【密修】。你在修法當中，你已經用了你的潛意識在修，叫密修。
Third – [Secret Cultivation]. Employing your Mind/Will power to cultivate, term as Secret Cultivation.


第四個，【密密修】。這是用"(最深的意識)"在修，也就是用沒有比這個更高深的意識在修。你到了密密修法的時候，你自己直接跟佛一樣的，完全跟佛相應的在修行，這叫密密修。
Fourth – [Secret Secret Cultivation]. This employs the Deepest Mind/Will to cultivate, that is to say there is no higher than this. When you arrived at this level, you directly become same as Buddha, completely yoga with Buddha. This is Secret Secret Cultivation.

【西方極樂世界也有四個淨土】：

There are 4 Pureland making up Western Paradise:

一個，『凡聖同居土』，這是外相淨土。
One, [Saints and Sentient Land] , this is External Form Pureland.


一個，『方便有餘土』，就是內修淨土，羅漢才能去的。
One, [Convenience Excess Land], this is Internal Cultivation Pureland, only for Arahat.


一個，『實報莊嚴土』，這是密修淨土，報身佛住的。
One, [Exact Reward Dignified Land], this is Secret Cultivation Pureland for Sambhogakaya. (“body of enjoyment”).


一個，『常寂光土』，密密淨土，法身佛住的。

One, [Everlasting Peace Light Land], Secret Secret Pureland, Dharmakaya (“body of essence”) resides here.

西方極樂世界也一樣分成四個淨土，我們的修行也一樣分成四種層次。不要看我們坐著在這邊比手劃腳，很短的時間把它修完，但是，你假如用"(最深的意識)"去修，你就是即身成佛。
Like the Western Paradise, our cultivation also divided into 4 levels. Don’t just see us sitting there doing various hand formations, cultivation completed in a very short time, but if you employ the Deepest Mind/Will to cultivate, you can transform into a Buddha instantaneously.

你假如用外相修法，人家怎麼比，我就怎麼比；人家怎麼作，我就怎麼作；人家怎麼唸，我就怎麼唸；人家怎麼觀，我就怎麼觀，都是在表面上，你就是凡夫。
If you use External Form method, others form hand signs, you also do likewise; you mimic what others do; mimic what others chant; what others visualize you mimic, all these are on the surface, therefore you are a sentient being/layperson.

修行，有必要達到內修（用意念觀想）；再用"(潛意識)"來修；到最後用"(最深意識)"來修。
Cultivation, need to achieve Internal Cultivation (using thoughts visualization); then using Mind/Will to cultivate; lastly using Deepest Mind/Will to cultivate.

你進入"(最深的意識)"，你就是不比手劃腳，照樣即身成佛。

When you enter the Deepest Mind/Will, you don’t need to form hand signs anymore, yet still can transform into Buddha immediately.


嗡。嘛呢唄咪。吽。

Om Mani Pad Me Hom.

一九九二年二月二十七日 1992 February 27
開示於真佛密苑 Dharma speech at True Buddha Tantra Garden

For info:

These are the 3 bodies of Buddha. GM refers to them often.

trikaya

In Mahayana Buddhism, the concept of the three bodies, or modes of being, of the Buddha:

the dharmakaya (“body of essence”), the unmanifested mode;

the sambhogakaya (“body of enjoyment”), the heavenly mode;

and the nirmanakaya (“body of transformation”), the earthly mode,

or the Buddha as he appeared on earth in any form.

The concept of trikaya applies to the Buddha Gautama and all other buddhas.

I shared this article and translated it because I have been sharing with all to cultivate with the Right Mindset. Else like GM said, you might get a little auspicious merits only even though you cultivated daily for 20 or even 50 years.

Amituofo / Lotuschef / Pure Karma / True Buddha School